Carrot Top Pesto
The greens that get cut off at the store are edible, and they make a more robust pesto than basil.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 3 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
The greens that get cut off at the store are edible, and they make a more robust pesto than basil. Carrot tops taste like parsley with a hint of carrot and come free with the bunch. A quick blanch removes their harsh bitterness, and after that they work just like any other herb.
Why this works
Carrot tops contain significantly more bitter compounds than basil, especially terpenes and polyphenols. Thirty seconds in boiling water extracts some of these and simultaneously deactivates the enzymes responsible for further bitterness development and darkening. This is why blanched greens stay vibrant, whereas raw ones turn olive brown within hours. The subsequent ice-cold shock stops the cooking process before the leaves become soft. What follows is normal pesto physics: short, pulsing blends so the mixture does not exceed 50 degrees, and folding in the oil by hand because the blade would otherwise release its bitter compounds.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Sort the greens
Pluck off only the tender leaves and discard the thick stems, as they are fibrous and will not blend well. A bunch of carrots yields about 80 g of usable greens, which is exactly one serving of pesto.
- 2
Blanch for thirty seconds
Place the greens in rolling boiling water for thirty seconds and immediately shock them in ice water. This extracts some of the bitter compounds and stops the enzymes that would otherwise turn the greens brown within hours.
- 3
Squeeze out thoroughly
Squeeze the greens really dry with your hands. You can easily get three tablespoons of water out of 80 g. Every milliliter of it dilutes the pesto and shortens its shelf life because water breaks through the protective oil layer.
- 4
Blend and fold in the oil
Toast the walnuts for two minutes in a dry pan and let them cool. Blend the greens, parsley, nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and salt in short bursts. Finally, fold in the oil by hand and do not blend it. Good olive oil turns bitter under the blade.
Our best tips
- Use only the tender leaves and no stems. They are fibrous and will not break down even in the most powerful blender.
